Chapter 6 Chp 6 - Blind To Reason

Marissa's scepticism about the phenomena of true love and her hatred for men like Mukhtar and his likes grew as she mourn the death of an innocent lady whose only crime was the fact that she trusted a fickle man. Marissa couldn't hold back her tears most times when she remembered the anguish that Evelyn had gone through in the past months before she finally gave up the ghost. Mukhtar's betrayal was a sore wound for her that made her more cynical about love and the idea of meeting a soulmate. Her heart hardened and she couldn't remember Mukhtar without wishing him the worst. Even as she recalled and relived what Evelyn went through before her death; she had no idea that something happened when Mukhtar left that day.

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NINE MONTHS AGO

The pristine picture the neighbourhood portrayed and the magnificent painting the sky depicted in addition to the brisk wind blowing making the palm fronds dance consistently like a drunken maestro could do nothing to detract from the thick tension ensuing in one of the beautifully trimmed bungalows in the area. The two, having a tense conversation, stood facing each other like two gladiators in a ring while their invisible audience cheer them on

"Mum, how on earth can you even say something like that? I can't believe you'll go to this length just because you don't like this lady and you have no valid reason than the fact that she's of a different religious background and tribe, this lady has tried all her possible best to make you accept her as a daughter but you just won't budge! I have been wondering if there's more to this even though you know just how much I love this lady! And now that I am giving you the news that should make you rejoice for me, for us, you're saying..... you... you are.." he cut his words short emotionally.

"Ehen, mo soo mo soo naa niyen! And so what if I say that? I am saying it with all confidence that that girl might just get pregnant because she wants to trap you with that pregnancy! Ye-e-es I said it, how are you even sure that the child belongs to you? Ehn, how are you sure? You dunce! With your so-called" she did an imitation of him talking mockingly while prancing about "I love her o, she's the love of my life o, it's either her or nobody else! Yen yen yen! Ode! Moron! She changed her voice again " You think I don't know all the tricks young ladies of nowadays employ especially when they come in contact with a lovesick fool like you? I know! I am a woman and I also have eyes and I am telling you that I don't like that girl, I don't like her at all! Period! She placed her hands against her waist aggressively and sit down on the sofa so heavily the embroidered scarf on it slipped off.

"Mum, what exactly can Evelyn do to appease your wrath and make you happy with her? Mukhtar asked with a calm countenance

"Oh, that's very simple!" She perked up

" Really? Mum? What should she do? You know she's very respectful and she cares about you; I can assure you that she will get it done instantly and she will be...."

"She should leave you and look for her man elsewhere!" She cuts in

"Eh? Mummy, she should what?" He asked in disbelief

"Leave you of course! Did you not hear me the first time or do you now have ear issues too? She should simply leave you and I'll have no issue with her! She should look for another man to pin herself on and I'll immediately start treating her like my child as she wants, in fact, I can even fund their wedding when they're ready to tie the knots, all will be well and you will.."

"Ah ah! Ah ah! Mummy, what are you even talking about na?" Shouted a pained Mukhtar who had been looking at her in disbelief while she rambled on " She..she should leave me! She should have a wedding with another man! She should go! Then I will... I will what, Mother? I will what exactly? Were you not listening to the part where I told you that she's pregnant? She's pregnant, mum! With my child! Our child! Or is it the part that it's your grandchild we are talking about that you didn't acknowledge? Okay, in this grand plan and decision of yours now, what will happen to my child? To your grandchild? Or are you about to tell me to inform to go for abortion as we...?"

"Ahusubillahi! Lailai! Never on earth " She shouted while clicking her fingers over her head "Abortion? For what? May God not let me be a party to such in my life, I'll never be a murderer! How can I say you should dispose of what I cannot create? Is that what you think of me?" She asked placing her hands on her chest

" I don't know what to think right now, I don't even know what to feel towards you, just tell me in this grand plan of yours, since you're thinking for me now, what exactly do you think I should do with the baby? Or the inconvenience as it seems to you?" He asked sarcastically.

"Don't take that tone with me!" She snapped then softened her voice. "It's actually very easy,I have nothing against this child, that is, if the child is really yours, ehn ehn" She held up her hand when he opened his mouth to interrupt her " Let me finish, okay let's assume the child is yours, even though we will still do a DNA test, yes o, we will do it, if the child is yours. Trust me,I will personally provide for her till she gives birth, whatever she wants to take, to eat, to do, it's all on me. I will pamper her more than even her own mother could if she has one. Then after the child birth, we will collect the child from her and you two will go your separate ways. I will take good care of the child with the help of a certified nanny and he will be fine! before you object, you see Madam Irukwe whose house is adjacent to mine? That was how she brought up her grandchild when her child died when giving birth, the girl is in Creche now. Ehn ehn then you will get another blessed girl of your own type, one from our side and you two will get married and take in this child, it's that simple!" She clapped her hand with a smile as if she just provide a solution to a great dilemma.

"Mum, are you even listening to yourself? Are you even putting things into perspective at all or do you just let the fact that you don't like Evie blind you to every other thing? Look at the way you are talking about separating a newborn and the mother as if you're talking about an animal that has no voice of her own or that can't fight back. And I know why you're saying all these with confidence; it's because I've told you that she's from an orphanage and you think she will have no one to fight for her so you can do what you like. But you're wrong, Mother, you are wrong! Even the Holy Book taught us to always treat others as we will want to be treated"

"Pele, sorry o, Sage of the Holy Book! Why won't you preach to me now about right or wrong?!" She retorted. "All I know is that you are not marrying that girl, that... that thing with no lineage, noooo not in my lifetime, get another girl to marry and we will be fine, in fact, impregnate another one today and she's welcome! She softened her voice like she was about to whisper to him amidst crowd "Ehn ehn, you know I have been telling you about Umu Moridiyah's daugh..."

" Mum, don't even go there!" He glared up and straightened from where he has been leaning against the chair. " Don't even go there at all! I have been trying to see things from your angle but I can't understand you at all! This is a girl I love we are talking about! My love! My life and relationship we are talking about! My unborn child you were just talking about separating from the mother! And I have been sitting here calmly trying to see how this can be resolved but now you're talking about Umu whatever's daughter?! Does my happiness means nothing to you?" He thundered angrily with violent gestures of his hands while speaking.

" Your happiness?! You're telling me that your own happiness, my own son's happiness is tied to one Mgbeke girl? Noo! Happiness is from within, so don't even tell me what is not, and am I the one you are raising your voice to like that because of a girl? because of one useless girl? Then something must be wrong with you! You must be out of your mind! See o, my own child who never disrespects me, is now doing so because of a female, I can't believe this" she fired back while adjusting her Abayah.

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Author's Note

Thank you, dear reader, for being here.

I really do appreciate you.

This chapter and some others have spatterings of the indigenous Yoruba language in it but it would be of no issue to you because every statement that has that, is immediately followed by the English translation so you will have no issue with reading and understanding it.

Let's embark on this journey together with Marissa. She has a long way to go and you are going to love every part of the journey.

This is a very interesting story with sequels that could be read separately on their own.

Thank you.

KABIRAT ALEEM